


now we're smoked out

by spacebabedun



Category: Twenty One Pilots
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Band, Freeform, M/M, Marijuana, Recreational Drug Use, Slow Burn, Underage Drinking, anxious!tyler, bong rips, first time hangouts, stoner!josh
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-07-19 01:46:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,472
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7339534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spacebabedun/pseuds/spacebabedun
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tyler and Josh had never hung out outside of work before. Tyler is a nervous wreck.</p>
            </blockquote>





	now we're smoked out

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first Joshler ever. It's also loosely based on a true story that happened to me. Have fun.

This is fine. 

“I can do this.” Tyler says outloud to himself as he pulls into the large apartment complex. All of the apartments looked the same from the outside but Josh said that it was the one with the halloween stickers on the sliding glass door on the bottom floor. 

“I can do this.” Tyler parks his car and wonders if it’s ok to even park there or if he’s going to get yelled at. There aren’t a lot of empty spaces but Josh said to just park outside and it would be fine. 

“I don’t think I can do this.” A deep breath leaves Tyler’s body. He didn’t realize he had even been holding it in. He turns off his car and leans his head on the steering wheel. 

He’s half an hour earlier than Josh told him to be. Josh isn’t even home yet, not even out of work. It’s 7:45 and it’s already dark out and Tyler is thinking about leaving. He thinks about driving around for the last half hour before Josh is meant to be there so it seems like he wasn’t so eager to hang out with him that he showed up ridiculously early. 

There is a police car parked a few spaces away. There is no one inside of it but that still doesn’t make Tyler feel any better about the case of hard cider sitting in his back seat. It’s wrapped in a paper bag and there is no one in the police car but Tyler is only 20 and he’s a nervous wreck. 

Also Josh smokes weed and Tyler had been trying not to think about that too much. Tyler has never smoked more than a cigarette before and he didn’t even do that very often. Only when he was drunk and just thinking about that made him feel incredibly guilty as he sat so close to the police car. 

Tyler glaces at the clock and it’s only been three minutes and he wants to disappear into his car’s upholstery. Instead he gets out and grabs his overnight bag and the paper bag of contraband from the back seat. He gets to the sliding glass door before he realizes that he can’t actually get into the apartment when he doesn’t have a key. He tries the door anyway and is still disappointed when it’s locked.

There are two green plastic chairs outside but it had been raining that day and there were filled with water. Tyler does the best he can to clean one off before taking a seat. He wants to go back to the car but decides against it. He’s made it this far and when Josh comes home he’ll just tell him he was five minutes early so he doesn’t look like a freak.

He sits outside for ten minutes, leg jiggling uncontrollably as he tries to think of conversation topics. What does he even know about Josh? Tyler works with him most days at the store but he’s never hung out with the guy before. He knows that Josh has three cats, a ton of tattoos, and he smokes weed. 

Tyler tries not to think about the fact that Josh will more than likely offer to let him smoke. Tyler convinces himself that it will be cool if he says no that he doesn’t want to and Josh will think it’s cool that he stands up for himself. Tyler is honestly just terrified he’ll make a fool out of himself.

That’s what the alcohol is for. Tyler knows how he reacts to that. He gets super friendly and talkative and people like Tyler when he is drunk. He decides that he’s just going to drink and that will be fine. 

It is 8 o’clock when Tyler decides to go inside of the apartment complex. The temperature was dropping quickly and he didn’t want to wait in the cold any longer. Of course the building had a key code that he didn’t know but for the first time that night he lucked out and someone else was going in at the same time. He nodded a hello to the stranger and tried to act like he belonged. 

It takes him a minute but he finds the door that leads to Josh’s apartment and sets his bags down. His stomach growls and he considers breaking into the tupperware container of brownies his mom had sent with him. He groaned just thinking about how lame that sounded in his own head. 

Josh was almost twenty minutes late and frantic as he found Tyler at his door.

“I’m so sorry!” Josh apologized three times in a row as he fumbled with his keys while trying to toe his shoes off at the same time. “There was a customer who wouldn’t leave even when I kept telling him we were closing and it was a nightmare. I hope you didn’t have to wait long.” 

Tyler swallowed. “No, I’ve only been here a few minutes.”

Josh beamed and opened the door. Immediately three cats surrounded them as they pushed in. All of them were siamese and yowling at them. Josh greeted them all individually as he shed his coat and snapback. Tyler set his bags down by the door and stood there awkwardly as he watched Josh make himself at home. 

“Come in!” Josh grinned flopping down onto a futon that looked like it had seen better days. “Tell me about your day.”

Tyler slipped out of his coat as he tried to remember what he had even done that day. Besides take too long to get ready for tonight he hadn’t done much of anything but he wasn’t going to admit that. 

“I brought beer.” He offered instead and Josh’s face lit up.

Josh ran back to Tyler where he stood by the door and took the paper bag when it was offered. The refrigerator was right next to the door and Tyler kicked himself for not just putting it in there himself but Josh didn’t seem to mind at all. 

“Hard cider?” Josh took two out of the pack. “Nice.”

Tyler took one greatfully and twisted the top off. If he was drunk then maybe Josh would think he was cool. Tyler realized how lame that was. 

“So…” Tyler started but realized he didn’t know what to say. Josh didn’t seem to notice. 

“I got us a pizza to put in the oven. Do you want to make it now?” Josh asked opening up the freezer. Tyler just shrugged even tho he was absolutely starving. Josh smiled from ear to ear it seemed. “Thank god I’m starving.”

Tyler couldn’t help but chuckle. He sipped at his cider as he watched Josh prepare the pizza. He felt as though he should be more helpful but he hadn’t moved since he had stepped into the apartment and he didn’t know if he could now. It took him a moment to notice that one of the cats was trying to get his attention.

“Hello,” Tyler said quietly to the grey faced cat that rubbed against his legs. “How are you?” 

“That’s Calvin,” Josh explained glancing behind him. “He loves to love. You can pick him up if you want.”

Tyler considered it for a moment before setting his beer down on the counter. He leaned down and scooped the cat up. Calvin meowed at him but pressed himself into Tyler’s hands and face. Tyler couldn’t help but grin. 

“He likes you.” Josh laughed pushing past them into the living room. Josh’s apartment was very small. More than three people would have made the room feel crowded and Tyler was relieved it was just them. 

Tyler carried Calvin into the living room and sat down next to Josh who had another cat in his lap. “This is Yuki,” Josh explained. “She is picky about people but if you hang out enough she’ll love you.” 

Tyler wondered if that means that Josh wants to hang out with him more. He wondered if Josh considered them friends or if Tyler was just a work friend. Did Josh often invite work friends over?

“Want to smoke?” Tyler felt himself flush. It shouldn’t be that big of a deal but he was wicked nervous.

Tyler hesitated but doesn’t say no. “I’ve never done it before.”

Josh smiled kindly and pulled a bong from the side of the futon. It was clear with a green rim and the most terrifying thing that Tyler has ever seen in his life. “Want me to teach you?”

Tyler found himself nodding against his better judgement. He tries to calm himself down and tell himself that it’s fine and it will be a new experience and if he doesn’t like it then he doesn’t have to ever do it again. It seemed to help a little bit. 

Tyler watched as Josh packed a bowl. The smell of the weed is foreign but not unpleasant to Tyler’s nose and he feels some of his anxiety ease. If Josh can do this then so can he. 

“Watch me do it and then you can do it ok?” 

Tyler made sure to watch as carefully as possible as Josh put the bong to his mouth and light the bowl. Tyler was mesmerized as the smoke swirled around the chamber. It seemed like forever before Josh lifted the bowl and sucked the smoke into his lungs. Fucker didn’t even cough. 

“I don’t know if I can do that.” Tyler admitted, his fingers nervously twisting. Josh just smiles and offers to pull for him. Tyler doesn’t know what that means but agrees to it.

Josh pulled more smoke into the chamber before clapping his hand over the top so the smoke wouldn’t escape. He explained carefully to Tyler how to put his mouth around it and to be careful breathing it in and if he couldn’t do it all then that was fine. 

Tyler wasn’t expecting his lungs to try and escape through his throat. He had managed to take in most of the smoke from the chamber before he thrusted it back to Josh to take away. 

Josh retrieved Tyler a glass of water as the room seemed to slow down around them. The glass felt heavy and foreign in Tyler’s hand as he tried to drink without coughing. His eyelids felt heavy and his body felt like it was sinking into the futon like quicksand. It felt great. 

Tyler wanted to say something but his throat felt tight and dry and his brain wasn’t sure what words were anymore. For a moment he completely forgot where he was until there was a cat trying to get him to pet it. 

Josh hit the bong again and Tyler was jealous of how easy he made it look. Josh offered the bong again but Tyler shook his head. Atleast he thought he did. 

“Are you ok?” Josh asked with a giggle as Calvin leaned on Tyler’s lap to rub his face. 

“Yeah,” Tyler choked out because he had never felt this ok before. All of his anxiety melted away as he stroked the cat. Calvin was probably the softest thing Tyler had ever felt in his life and he was completely mesmerized by it. 

Josh laughed again. His eyes were dark red where they should have been white and his smile was dopey and Tyler thought he must look the same. 

“Want to watch a movie?” Josh asked turning on the TV. Tyler tried to figure out how he could move so easily after taking two whole hits out of the bong when Tyler had only taken one and felt like he was moving against the current. 

Tyler shrugged and Josh turned on a random comedy on netflix Tyler had never seen before. He tried with all his might to pay attention but all he could do was think about the cat in his lap and Josh who kept asking if he was ok. 

A shrill beep snapped Tyler out of it a little and it felt like the room was crashing for a second before he realized that it was ok and it was just the oven timer going off. 

Josh came in with the pizza a few minutes later and set it on the coffee table next to the bong. Tyler wasn’t sure if he could move but he was starving. 

“Want another hit first?” 

“Yeah,”

Tyler coughed just as much as he did the first time but he had pulled it himself and took much pride in that. The hit was small but settled thick in his lungs and brain.

Josh grinned at him and Tyler felt even more proud. They ate their pizza in relative silence as the movie played in the background. As soon as Josh finished his pizza he started talking. Tyler wasn’t sure what he was saying to be honest but he was enjoying the sound of Josh’s voice drifting through his haze. 

Tyler didn’t talk much and Josh didn’t seem to mind. Tyler wondered if Josh took a lot of peoples weed virginity and if they all went silent like he did but he didn’t ask. 

“Oh my god,” Tyler interrupted Josh suddenly with wide eyes.

“What?” Josh asked excitedly like he had been waiting for Tyler to have this very epiphany.

“I have brownies.” Tyler practically moaned as he slipped off of the futon. His bag was still by the door but it was worth it for brownies.

“My god,” Josh whispered with delight as Tyler staggered over to his bag. It felt like a half an hour before Tyler made it back to the couch with the tupperware container. 

Brownies were only meant to be eaten stoned, Tyler decided on his first bite. He told Josh so and Josh agreed. 

“Do you want more weed?” Josh asked after they had finished off the entire dish of brownies.

“Noooo,” Tyler dragged out. His head felt like it was full of lead and helium at the same time. “I think I’ll die.”

He doesn’t know why Josh though that that was so funny but he choked on his own hit and coughed harder than Tyler had both times. If Tyler felt a little smug about it he didn’t let on. 

The movie is still playing the background but Tyler couldn’t tell you what it was about if you held a gun to his head. Calvin had returned to his lap and was dozing as Tyler stroked behind his ears. 

“I’m glad you came over.” Josh smiled. He hadn’t stopped smiling the whole night. “I’m having so much fun.” 

Tyler nodded aggressively like he was headbanging to some awesome music and Josh laughed at him again. Tyler couldn’t believe that he was afraid to come here to begin with. He wanted to tell Josh but the words didn’t come out. 

A yawn ripped out of Josh’s throat and he stretched across the couch into Tyler’s personal space. Tyler was too high to care and let Josh rest his head against his shoulder. 

“You’re a pretty cool dude, Tyler.” Josh muttered, his eyes slowly closed and Tyler felt himself doing the same. 

“You’re a pretty cool Josh, dude.” Josh snorted and lost his balance, his head falling into Tyler’s lap. He continued to giggle for a few moments before adjusting so he was lying on his back with his head properly pillowed on Tyler’s thigh. 

Tyler wasn’t sure when they got this close but he wasn’t going to start complaining now. His fingers twitched at his side, tempted to touch Josh’s bring pink hair wondering if it felt as soft as Calvin’s fur. He doesn’t tho.

“Do you want a cigarette?” Josh asked, his eyes still closed and Yuki sitting on his chest. Tyler usually only smokes cigarettes when he drinks but then he remembered he had had a few sips of beer and that seemed like enough to agree. 

They went out onto the patio to smoke and Tyler wished he had brought his jacket outside with him. It was late fall and probably only forty degrees. Tyler assumed it was about midnight when they lit up the cigarettes. Josh was shivering and huddling his arms around himself having forgot his jacket as well.

“We are dumb.” Tyler said matter of factly taking a long drag off of the cigarette without coughing. Josh laughed beside him and copied his action. The warm smoke wasn’t doing much to warm their bodies however. 

“Maybe this was a bad idea.” Josh spoke smoothly like suddenly like all the high had left him and Tyler kind of felt like that too. He wondered if you could freeze a high out. “I have so many blankets tho we’re going to be so warm inside.”

Tyler nodded and took another long drag trying to finish the cig as fast as possible without wasting it. He didn’t buy it and he wasn’t about to be ungrateful about it. 

“Can we smoke more weed?” The words almost shocked Tyler when they left his mouth. He hadn’t even meant to ask. 

Josh just laughed. “Of course, dude. How can I say no to that?” 

When they got back inside Josh spent a few minutes gathering every blanket in his entire apartment. It only ended up being about three but they were fuzzy and kept Tyler’s feet warm. 

Josh wrapped half of the blankets around himself and then busied himself with packing another bowl. Tyler pulled a dark purple and very soft blanket up to his chin and tried to pay attention to what Josh was doing so that if in the future this happened again he could do it to. He didn’t have too much hope of remembering tho. 

Josh let’s Tyler hit it first. Tyler shook as he took the bong into his hands and his mouth around the rim. Josh lit the bowl for him as he sucked in a deep breath. The smoke swirled into the chamber and into his mouth and he had to clap the top of the bong and exhale. He let out a few painful coughs before he felt ready to take the entire hit. 

When Tyler finally looked back at Josh through blurry eyes he could just make out the other guy’s wide smile. Tyler couldn’t help but smile too but he couldn’t figure out why they were so happy but it felt good in his smoke filled brain. He was afraid he could get used to this. 

“You did so good!” Josh praised taking the bong. “That was such a big hit too!” 

Tyler giggled happily trying his best to stop from swaying back and forth. When had he started doing that? He wasn’t sure but his leg was a little jumpy as well but Josh didn’t seem to notice so it didn’t seem like a big deal. 

Tyler sat cross legged across from Josh with the purple blanket still wrapped tightly around him. Suddenly Josh frowned and Tyler tried to figure out if he had said something without meaning to. 

“That's my favorite blanket.” Josh twisted his mouth in concentration. Tyler looked down at himself, just a lump under the blanket. He was torn between offering it to Josh or keeping it to himself because he was still freezing despite the fact that it was about thirty degrees warmer inside than out. 

Josh made up his mind for him however and pulled the blanket away from Tyler. Tyler wanted to protest but in a few seconds Josh had his back pressed into Tyler’s chest and the blanket was wrapped around both of them. 

Tyler stretched his legs on on either side of Josh and they both settled back against the futon. Tyler was suddenly warmer than he thought he’d ever been in his life and it was the best thing. Josh shifted himself briefly to get more comfortable before sighing with satisfaction. 

Tyler began to wonder if Josh was like this with all of his friends. Tyler wouldn’t say that he minded but he had hope that it was just him that Josh would cuddle up to. They’d only known each other for a month so Tyler figured he was out of luck there. 

Tyler wasn’t sure when he fell asleep but he woke up with Josh still between his legs. Josh had turned around at some point and they were chest to chest. Yuki, Calvin and the third cat he hadn’t learned the name of were sleeping curled up between their legs. 

If it wasn't for the pressure in his bladder Tyler would have never wanted to move. As slowly and carefully as he could he pushed Josh off of him. Josh blinked sleepily and grinned up at Tyler as he tried to detangle their legs. 

“Where go?” Josh asked sleepily rubbing at his eyes as Tyler finally stood up. 

“Bathroom.” Josh groaned and curled into the blankets on the futon. The cats swarmed him and took up residence on his side. 

Tyler looked a mess. His eyes were bright red even tho he didn't feel all that stoned anymore and the bags under his eyes were so pronounced he wasn't sure if they'd ever go back to normal. 

When Tyler finally left the bathroom after peeing and then washing his face best he could Josh was waiting on the other side of the door. Josh just smiled as he pushed past Tyler into the room and closed the door. 

Tyler took the few minutes he had to himself to refill the glass of water he'd had earlier to try and ease the dryness in his mouth. His mind was surprisingly clear as he went back to the couch. His phone said it was four in the morning and his body told him to lay back down and go to sleep. 

Josh came out of the bathroom and grabbed the bong and weed off of the table. “Grab the blankets.” He yawned out heading for the bedroom. 

The room was smaller than the living room, barely fitting the queen size bed that laid in the center. Tyler dropped the blankets on the edge of the bed and made to leave before Josh stopped him. 

“You can sleep in here with me.” Josh began to spread the blankets out. “It's more comfortable than the futon.”

Tyler considered it for a moment. If Josh really didn't mind he wouldn't have offered so Tyler agreed and helped with the blankets before climbing in after Josh. 

They hit the bong again even though Tyler had told himself he probably shouldn't. He honestly didn't know why he was still resisting. 

The light feeling in his head came back and he wondered if Josh ever stopped smiling. It was a nice smile. Josh had nice teeth and his eyes crinkled at the corners. 

They settled back into the bed, wrapped warm in the blankets. The cats joined them shortly, seeming to be annoyed they weren't invited to begin with. Josh rolled over as close to Tyler as possible without actually touching him as Calvin laid between their chests. Tyler couldn't help but laugh. 

“He always sleeps here.” Josh explained stroking the cat. “If I lay on my back he will grind his tiny little needle feet into my chest until I have bruises.”

Tyler dissolved into another fit of giggles. “He’s cute.”

“Don’t let it go to his head.” Josh giggled. “He can be a cockblock.” 

Tyler felt the color drain from his face. Josh had totally had sex in this bed with other people. Tyler wasn’t sure why it was bothering him so much but for some reason he couldn’t get his mind off of it now. What if Josh wanted to have sex with him in this bed? Tyler tried to convince himself that he was just really high. 

Josh let out a yawn, his breath hitting Tyler in the face. Tyler closed his eyes against the assault. He hadn’t realized he was tired. 

The next time Tyler opened his eyes he was alone in the bed (save for a few cats) and sunlight was streaming through the windows. His eyes were blurry and more than a little sore. 

“Hey,” Josh said quietly from the door, a smile still plastered on his face. “Good to see you're awake. I brought coffee.”

Tyler sat up as Josh handed him a coffee mug with kittens printed on it. “I didn't know how you take your coffee so I made it like mine.”

It was too sweet for Tyler’s liking but he was so thirsty he drank half of it in one go, wincing at the burn in his throat. Josh climbed back into bed with his own mug. 

“I would have made more if I knew you drank it like water.” Josh laughed. “You’re going to get heartburn like that.”

“I’m thirsty,” Tyler set the cup down on the bedside table. “My mouth and throat are, like, wicked dry.” 

“Cottonmouth,” 

“Sucks.” 

“Yeah,” Josh sipped from his mug. “It doesn’t really get better unfortunately. That’s the only downside.” 

“I’m glad I tried it.” Tyler fidgeted with the edge of the blanket. 

“Think you’ll ever do it again?”

Tyler shrugged. “Probably.” 

Josh’s face lit up. He wrapped both of his hands around his mug and took a sip. It was incredibly cute to Tyler. 

“I have to work in a few hours but you’re more than welcome to stay here or come back tonight if you want to hang out again.” Josh said directly into his coffee mug. “If you want that is. I don’t want to force you to stay here or anything. It’s only our first time hanging out.” 

Tyler smiled and felt relief pouring over himself. He was glad that Josh wanted to hang out with him more.“No it’s fine. I can come back tonight when you get out of work. I can bring chinese.” 

“That sounds awesome.” Josh’s voice still echoed into the mug. “I get out at eight.”

Tyler hung around before Josh had to get ready for work. They spent a few hours just talking and getting to know each other sober and outside of work. Josh made them waffles for breakfast with maple syrup and lots of whipped cream. 

“I should probably head out.” Tyler announced as Josh takes his shirt off to get into the shower. He could feel color filling his cheeks as looked away from the shirtless Josh. “I’ll see you tonight?”

“Yeah man!” Josh rushed him in a hug. It took Tyler a moment to adjust to the tight hug but he wrapped his arms around the shorter man’s waist. 

“Bye.” Tyler waved before gathering his things and heading out the door. The anticipation was already settling into his stomach about that night. He couldn’t wait.


End file.
